The father of a Socceroo, accused of committing a cold-case murder, could be extradited to Scotland, where the crime occurred, within two months.

James McGowan is the father of Socceroos defender Ryan McGowan and has been in the Adelaide prison, uncharged, for more than two years.

After being held in prison since December 2013 awaiting a decision on extradition, the Attorney-General's Department has decided the 57-year-old can be surrendered to the United Kingdom, after approval from the Federal Justice Minister, the ABC reported.

Owen Brannigan, the former brother-in-law of James McGowan, who was stabbed to death in a Scottish town in 1999

Australia's Ryan McGowan in action. His father, James McGowan, can now be extradited to Scotland, where he has been accused of murder his former brother-in-law in 1999

Mr McGowan, a dual citizen of Britain and Australia, had argued new evidence was inadmissible because it had been illegally obtained, but would be used by prosecutors in the UK.

In an alleged 2012 phone call to a mental health help line he was said to have made 'a number' of admissions, including admitting he had 'put someone to bed' who had raped his sister.